July 25, 2013

“Canada strongly condemns the continued imprisonment of Grand Ayatollah
Hossein-Kazamani Boroujerdi, a leading Shiite Muslim cleric, by the Iranian
regime. Ayatollah Boroujerdi has reportedly been subjected to torture during
his seven-year imprisonment in the Evin Prison in Tehran. He has been a critic
of the Iranian regime’s heinous human rights violations. Ayatollah Boroujerdi
is one among a large, untold number of Iranians in prison on politically
motivated charges.

“We call for the provision of immediate medical treatment to Ayatollah
Boroujerdi and his subsequent release from prison.

“The continued detention of critics of the regressive clerical, military
dictatorship, such as Ayatollah Boroujerdi, demonstrates the Khamenei regime’s
wanton disregard for religious freedom and human rights. Canada calls on the
Iranian regime to respect its international obligations and cease the unlawful
detention of dissidents and members of minority religious communities.

“Canada stands by all those Iranians who bravely speak out against grave
violations of human rights and advocate freedom of religion.”